Method of heating liquids



April 28, 1931.

E. R. CASE 1,802,967

METHOD OF HEATING LIQUIDS Original Filed March 7. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Snventor April 28, 1931. E. R. cAsE 1,802,967

METHOD oF HEATING LIQUIDS Original Filed March 7'. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Smnentor Patented Apr. 28, 1931 PATENT OFFICE EGERTON RYERSON CASE, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA METHOD OF HEATING LIQUIDS Original application iiled March 7, 1927, Serial No. 173,443, and in Canada February 8, 1929. Divided and this application led July 26, 1930.

My invention relates to improvements in method of heating liquids, and the object of the present invention (which is an application divided from the parent application, Se-

rial No. 173,443, filed March7th, 1927, for electric liquid heaters) is to maintain a highly-heated relatively-conined volumeconstant body of fluid through which to pass a streamof confined liquid of a lower tem- 1@ peiature in'order to hastenrise in tempera.- ture thereof, and in the following specification and the drawings forming part thereof, I shall describe and illustrate two species within my invention, and what I claim as new i will be set forth in the claims forming part of this specification.

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section through the preferred form of heater. Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal cross sections respectively on the lines 2-'-2, and 3 3, Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a vertical central section through an alternative form of the heater.

In the drawings, like characters of referi ence refer to the same parts.

b The preferred form of construction to put my method into practice, is illustrated in Fig. 1. The base or support 2 is preferably made in sections so that in case of breakage, any section .may be readily replaced. The base is 3@ of course made of porcelain or any suitable insulating material. Each section is provided with a flange 3 which fits within a socket formed by an embracing iange 4 of the Vopposing section. Said sections are tubular in form, and the same are held together by a tubular, preferably metal, member 5 which asses centrally through said base. This tuular member 5 projects beyond both ends of the said base, and attached to the lower end thereof is an exteriorly positioned ring 6 which is partly located in a socket formed in the lowermost section of the base 2 as shown clearly in Fig. 1. A flanged member 7 is made of the same material composing the base 2 and is mounted on the tubular member 5 since it has a central passage-way therethrough, and it rests in contact with the topmost section of the base 2. This flanged member 7 lis provided with a flange 8 which embraces the flange 3 of the topmost section of Serial No. 471,032.

said base 2. The flange 8 is used so that when the base 2 is removed any section thereof may be positioned in Contact with `the flanged member 7. Removably carried by the upper end of the tubular member 5 which projects above the flanged member 7, is a nut 9. The function of the nut 9 in co-operation with the member 5 and ring 6 is to hold the sections of the base 2 in co-operative relationship.

The sections of the base 2 are each pro- 60 vided with a plurality of spaced bars or ribs 10 extending longitudinally thereof, so that the resistor or heating element 11 may be laced longitudinally on said base. The upper ends of the ribs 10 forming part of the topmost section ofthe base 2 are spaced apart from the flanged member 7 so that the resistor 11 may be located between the said ends and the said flanged member. The lower ends of the ribs 10 of the lowermost section of the 70 base 2 do not extend to the lower end of the flange 4 of said lowermost section, and therefore portions of the resistor or heating element 11 passing underneath the lower ends of the ribs of said lowermost section will 75 rest in contact with said flange.

In order to tie the heating element or resistor 11 to the base 2 intermediate its end sections, after the resistor has been laced on the base, any of the intermediate sections of said base can be turned sufliciently so as to move the ribs or bars 10 thereof out of alignment with the ribs or bars of the other sections, so as to pinch portions of the resistor 11 between the ends of said bars or ribs. After this tying of the heating element or resistor 11 has been effected, the nut 9 can be tightened np and so hold the various sections of the base 2 in desired relative relationship. The ends of each rib or bar 10 are undercut as shown at 12, and the extremity 13 of each rib or bar projecting beyond the undercut portion thereof will come in Contact with the resistor and act as a clamp to, in effect, tie the same to the base 2 as before mentioned. 95

Tntegrally formed with the iianged member 7 is a post 14, which preferably, though not essentially, projects above said flanged member 7. This post is provided with two passageways 15, one only of which is shown 1Go in Fig. 1, and through these passageways is passed the ends or' the resistor 11 (see Fig. 1), which ends are secured to the binding posts 16 (only one of which is shown), which are carried by the post 14:.

17 see Fig. 1) is a plate which 'forms the top o the liquid chamber 18 at the bottom of the heater. This plate is centrally apertured as shown at 19, and threaded in this aperture is a tubular member 20, the upper end of which is closed by a cap 21 integrally formed therewith or as shown. T he heating unit is positioned for use as shown in Fig. 1, by passing it over the tubular member 20, which tubular member is received by the tubular member 5. The said heating unit rests upon the plate 17 through the medium of its ring 6.

Located within the tubular member 2O is a conduit 22 which is formed of a pipe bent back upon itself, and having its discharge end 23 preferably located at the bottom of the tubular member and discharging into the liquid chamber 18. This conduit is carried by pipe couplings 24, portion of vhich projects through the liquid` chamber 18, and also through the outer casing 25 oi the liquid heater. As shown in Fig. 1, the pipe cou` plings 24 are detachably coupled to pipe couplings 26 which are carried by any suitable l1 uid tank 27.

he base 2, which comprises the heat-ing unit, is surrounded by a liquid chamber composed of inner and outer walls 28 and 2S),

spaced apart to permit liquid'to flow there between. The lower ends ofthe walls 28 and 29 are attached to the plate 17 as shown at 30 and 31, (as by brazing to malte liquidV tight joints) in such position that the passageways 32 formed in the plate 17 will conduct liquid into said liquid chamber between the walls thereof. The upper Aendsv of the walls 28 and 29 are suitably secured together to make a liquid tight oint, though oft' course Il, it must be understood that said walls 28 and 29 may be integrally formed, thus avoiding opening through tie wall 29 to the liquid tank 27. t

From what I have just described it is clearly seen that I utilize simultaneously heatl ,interiorly and exteriorly of the heating unit already described.

The outer casing 25 is spaced apart from the'outer wall 29 of the liquid chamber surrounding the heating unit, and the space between these parts is lilled with any suitable heat retaining material, such as asbestos or mineral wool, or powdered soap stone.

The outer casing 25 extends above the top of the liquid chamber surrounding the heating` unit so that a cap or cover la may be removably attached thereto. This cap or cover may be made in any suitable Way so as to retain as much heat as possible Within the heater.

The portion of the casing 25 projecting above or beyond the heating unit is slotted as shown at so as to permit the binding posts 16 to project laterally of the heater.

By removing the cap or cover 34 access is had to the heating unit, and the saine may be withdrawn from the heater for any purpose.

Since the tubular member 2O has threaded connection with the plate 17, this tubular member may be removed, and thus permit access to the liquid passages in the heater for cleansing purposes.

As shown clearly in Fig. 3, the conduit 22 does not 'll the tubularmember 20, and therefore liquid will enter this tubular member and surround the conduit 22. l/Vhen the liquid i'lowing as indicated, enters the conduit 22 it is at its lowest temperature, and by the time it passes into the liquid chamber 18 its temperature will have been considerably raised so that by the time it iiows out of the heater through the pipe couplings 33, its temper-l ature will be very high.

Since the liquid entering the tubular member 20 and surrounding the conduit 22 must pass out of said tubular member 2() through the opening through which it entered thereinto, the conduit 22 will be surrounded constantly by a highly heated body of liquid, which may sometimes be change into steam.

ln Fig. 4, the heating unit embraces a central core 70. The resistor or heating element 11 is wound around said central core, and then a tubular member 71 is slipped over the core 7() to retain the convolutions of the resistor in place. This tubular member 71 is slotted as shown at 72 to permit the resistoror heating` element to be wound around the.

outside of said tubular member. A tubular member 7 8 is placed around the tubular member 71. To hold the said central core and tubular members together I utilize a cap and a'bottom plate 74. The cap 10 and the plate 7d are provided respectively with flanges 75and 76, which lit around the upper and lower ends of the tubular member 7". The parts just described of the heating unit are made of suitable insulating material, such as porcelain, and in order to tie the various parts described together, I locate in the cen- 7 tral passageway of the central core 70, the

. tubular member 5 which also passes through the cap 40 and the plate 74. Preferably removably carried by the lower and upper ends of Vsaid tubular member are rings or nuts 6 and 9.

Formed in the cap 40 are openings such as 15 of Fig. 1, to permit the ends of the resistor or heating element to be passed through said cap and attached to the binding posts 16 Which are supported by a post 14. The construction just described provides a heating unit which can be readily removable since it is not attached in any manner to the other parts vof the heater.

Vs'lithin the tubular member 5 is the tubular member 2O of Fig. 1, and this tubular member contains the conduit 22. The Walls 28 and 29 of the liquid chamber in this species are connected at their lower ends by liquid tight joints with the plate 17, which is apertured to permit the flow of liquid into said liquid chamber.

Though I have indicated that the liquid enters the heater through the pipes and couplings 24, it will be understood that the direction of flovv of the liquid can be reversed Without deparing from the spirit of my invention. In that case, the liquid in the conduit 22 flowing into the pipe couplings 24 Will have a higher temperature than that of the liquid in the other parts of the heater.

The prior art shows efforts to utilize the heated chambered core or interior of a base or support for a resistor, but since the liquid it is desired to heat fiows at large therethrough at al speed substantially that of any other part of the liquid stream in the heater', this chamber is kept constantly flushed and therefore no relatively-confined volume-constant body of highly-heated fluid is available therein to be used as I use it, and for this very reason the forms of my heater herein disclosed possess the maximum of efficiency and are very economical in current consumption.

In all of these species, there is no outlet for liquid at the upper or outer end of the tubular bases or supports therein shown, and since the conduits 22 are shaped and preferably terminate, as shown, the passage of liquid therethrough does notflush the said bases or supports out, as would be the case Were these conduits to terminate a short distance from the upper or outer closed ends of said bases or supports. Therefore the heat stored in the liquid or vapor Within said tubular bases or supports will very largely accelerate the heating of the liquid passing through said conduits. This is an important feature of my invention.

In this specification and the claims forming part thereof the term volume-constant is used to mean that While there may be a change in the state of the fluid (this will of course depend upon the temperature thereof) Within the chambered core or base, the said chamberV Will, in use, always be filled with .a fluid because of the common inlet-outlet opening which is preferably directly in communication With the current of liquid passing through the heater.

The term relatively-confined is used herein to convey the ideaof a body of lfluid which While housed Within a chamber having a common inlet-outlet opening has communica-- tion with the current of liquid flowing through the 'heater by means of said common opening, but yet is incapable of freely entering into the circulation thereof.

VThe'term confined stream, as used herein means a stream of liquid passing through a conduit located in or passing through a chamber.

While I have specifically illustrated and described means to preferably utilize electrical energy as a source of heat, (because it is safer and more Widely available than gas) it must be understood that I may use gas or other fuel as a source of heat, and that the utilization of any suitable means to generate heat from gas or other fuel falls Within the term of myA disclosure and of my claims.

While I have described what I consider to be the best embodiments Within my invention, it must be understood that the principle thereof may be embodied in still other forms, and I require not to be limited beyond the requirements of the prior art and the terms of my claims.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The method of heating liquid from a source of heating medium Which consists in passing a homogeneous body of liquid through intercommunicating passageways While maintaining a substantially inert volume-constant body of this body of liquid in one portion thereof, which body is heated to, and maintained at, a high temperature by said heating medium, and extracting the heat from said body of fluid Without displacing the same, to heat a confined cooler body of this homogeneous body in one portion of said intercommunicating passageways passing through this heated body of fluid.

2. The method of heating liquid from a suitable source of heating medium which consists in impounding a body of liquid Within a blind chamber opening from a chamber through Which a homogeneous liquid is flowing, and therein transforming it into, and maintaining it as, a substantially volumeconstant body of highly-heated fluid, and passing a relatively-confined cooler body of the flowing liquid through said body of highly-heated fluid to be he ated thereby, and Without displacing the same.

8. The method of heating liquid from a suitable source of heating medium, Which consists in providing a flow of a homogeneous liquid into and through certain intercommunicating passageways and at the same time diverting portion of the primary iovv to fill a blind section of said passagevvays Where it is transformed into, and maintained as, a substantially volume-constant quiescent body of highly-heated fluid, and passing a relativelyconfined cooler body of the flowing liquid through said body of highly-heated iuid to be heated thereby, and without displacing same. Y

4. The method of heating liquid from a suitable source of heating medium, which consistsin providing a flow of a homogeneous liquid into and through certain intercommunicating passageways and at the same time diverting portion of the primary flow to lill a blind section of said passageways Where it is transformed into, and maintained as, a substantially Volume-constant quiescent body of' highly-heated fluid, and passing a relatively-confined cooler body ofthe flowing liquid from the open end oi' said blind passage- Way to the closed end thereof, and then from this latter end back to said open end Where it passes into the stream of owing liquid outside said blind passageway.

v EGERTON R. CASE. 

